Mature: Desert Moon

[Soran Nightblade]

The wedding. Vlad's scraping teeth closed in a soft kiss on Atul's shoulder, as if the warm thought had suddenly tamed him. "I will come shortly," he promised, finding an excuse to run his hands over every inch of the man while he unlocked Atul from his embrace. He rolled over to Tenele, his new victim, and assumed nearly the same position, burrowing in beside the warm pulse in her neck.

[Emora Deen]

Atul smiled, slinking out of bed. He stood over them, admiring how beautiful they looked together before forcing himself to the bathroom for a bath.

Tenele only vaguely acknowledged the movement and the pressure of a hard muscled form encircling her much smaller softer one. She made a soft sound in the back of her throat. Her eyes opened heavily, flickering around until she spotted her husband, and then they shut just as quickly.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad was in no mood to move, so he stayed like an armored shell around Tenele for another hour until the sun finally rose enough to stop shining straight into their balcony. He raised his head and took in the sight of his wife next to him, now that it wasn't so bright.

He decided that the best way to wake her up would be to roll on top of her, so he did so, kissing her chin innocently.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele groaned at the heavy weight pressing her into the mattress. Her green eyes fluttered open, flinting around the room before resting on the man kissing her chin. It felt so late, and she briefly wondered how long she'd been sleeping before her attention diverted to other things.

"Good morning," she whispered to him, dipping to meet his moving lips. "Did you think you could take advantage while I slept? Silly man."

[Soran Nightblade]

"It's not taking advantage if you're already dreaming about it," the vampire grinned cockily.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele flushed. "I was not," she protested. She felt her hand across there bed for Atul, not finding him there next to them.

[Soran Nightblade]

"Court," the vampire's eyes and thoughts followed her fingertips. "It is near mid-day."
He propped up on his elbows, taking the weight of her chest but not the contact between their hips. He rather liked that part. "How is your body?" he asked, exploring her chin and cheek with his lips.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele's cheeks darkened and she smiled. "I have two very thorough inhuman lovers," she whispered into his ear. She curled her fingers along his sides, tracing small circles there.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad smiled. "I had some catching up to do," he justified.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele chuckled. "Well, are you caught up?" she asked him, snaking her hands down his back to cup firmly over his muscled ass. She sent him a fluttering thought of what her mouth could be doing if he weren't finished through the fading link between them.

She also felt Atul respond to the thought, reminding her that the King was still connected to them. She felt his subtle warning that he wasn't exactly in a position to be overcome by sensations.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad flexed his hips against hers, craving the promise behind Tenele's words and not-so-secretly enjoying the image of Atul hard and desperate with need while trying to lead his meeting. "Catching up may take a long time," he reasoned, kissing her neck. "Perhaps I should space it out just a bit." He barely restrained the temptation to press the king's buttons in public. His thoughts let them both know how much he liked their buttons.

He lifted up from Tenele and rose from bed, graceful as if he'd only been lying there a moment. The dead didn't get stiff. He did stretch his arms, but it was really just a mannerism and an excuse to show off his torso to Tenele. "I'd like to check in on Sinead," he said, a wisp of worry curling in his mind.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele nodded, sitting up slowly. She reached for the soreness in her shoulder, admiring the bruised bite that Vlad made in the heat of the moment. The second bite he'd given her in the fury of their storm. This one more passion driven and less thoughtful of her human fragility.

"I'm going to shower and then go retrieve our daughter from Talon," she told him, giving him a kiss on his cheek as she headed back through the secret passage into their room.

Tenele made quick work of getting ready, despite her body's light protesting of her movements. The dull ache was pleasing in some sense, as it was a reminder of the night.

"Mommy!" Tenara called when she finally found Talon and Tenara in the garden. Talon was hiding from the sun beneath a stone gazebo. Tenara was frolicking in the fountain. As soon as she spotted her mother she through her arms around her legs, socking the dress Tenele wore in cool water. But, giving how hot it was, and how little the palace could stay cool on days like today, it was somewhat refreshing.

[Soran Nightblade]

It would no doubt seem odd to a human to be proud of that ache in his wife's healing arm, but the vampire wasn't exactly human. As long as there was no anger or sorrow attached to her pain, Vlad indulged in the weird contentment that came from claiming her as his own in the most intimate way he was able.

It was weird to have so many goals and not know which to pursue first. He wanted to go to the throne room and accompany Atul for some of the day's work so they could more time together that evening. He wanted to see and play with his daughter...it felt like it had been weeks. But more strongly, he wanted to see his queen. Sinead was the reason he'd been able to return to his wife's bed. She'd given him his life back, and the last he saw her, she'd been in terrible shape because of it.

When he was dressed, he went directly to her quarters. He took careful note of her guards' expressions as they let him past. Perhaps a bit tense, but they certainly didn't look alarmed or anxious about Sinead's state. He took that as a good sign, and pressed on through the heavy wood door.

Sinead was resting on a lounger near the open air balcony at the back of the room, the sunlight setting a halo of silver around her gold hair.

"Feeling better, Queeny?" Vlad greeted as he stepped into the sunlight beside her.

Sinead turned to look at him. Her blue eyes were bright and calm. "You look like you don't expect me to be," she said curiously. The usual strength was in her voice, and a hint of disapproval.

The vampire glanced at the door behind him without meaning to, confirming that it was closed. "I should have returned last night."

"I should certainly hope you did something more productive instead."

Vlad met her eyes, unblinking.

"It's natural to be uneasy around me, Vladimir. I looked into your memories, and your mind did everything it could to try to stop me. I don't expect you to relax right away."

The vampire frowned. It was true. She'd seen everything. Everything. "I am ready to be here now," he said without trying to deny it. "I am sorry you endured so much to heal me."

Sinead sat up straighter and shifted her body to face him. The sudden apology seemed to have caught her attention. Vlad registered her questioning expression and made a hasty emotional retreat. "It's good that you seem recovered," he muttered formally.

"And you as well," she replied. You seem more open here. This place must be good for you."

"I suppose," he accepted quietly. "You're certain you're better?" Those memories had nearly driven the vampire insane. Could Sinead really recover from them in a day? He had no idea how such magic worked, but he'd seen the tears on her face as she forced him to walk her through his past.

"My strength is back, and my mind is not as fragile as you think."

The vampire's cheeks darkened. "Good." The silence stretched on. "Thank-"

"If you apologize and say thank you to me on the same day, I will truly fear that the world is ending, Vladimir."

He stiffened, frustrated, and said nothing. She knew him well.

"Thanks for your visit. You may go."

Vlad leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, ignoring her dismissal. "I'll go when you're well enough to boss me around standing up," he smirked, winning a surprised look from the proud queen. He knew her well also.

[Emora Deen]

"One frog," Tenara mused, scooping up a frog trying to hop away and stuffing him in the pouch her father gave her. "Two frog." On the third one she stared at the frog, and said, "Another frog" before dropping it into the pouch.

Tenele leaned against the pillar with her legs stretched out before her, side by side with her brother.

"Was it a fun night?" Talon asked, smiling.

"It was," she sighed happily, rubbing her shoulder.

"A week from now you will be queen of a kingdom, are you feeling nervous?" he asked, eyeing the bright sky with a glowering wince.

"I am," Tenele sighed. "I never imagined myself as a queen, even when Sinead's advisers were so sure I'd be named her heir. I really think I do much better as a warrior sitting on the sidelines waiting for battle. But... now I'm a mother. Going into battle isn't as freeing and easy as it used to be. Also, I want to be with Atul. He can't give up his throne, so I will take a throne with him."

Talon nodded. "What is it like to love someone like that? Like how you love Vlad and Atul? Every day I feel what was human of me disappear and I worry that I'll forget how to love. Then, I think of how you changed Vlad, how you taught him to love and I see what your life is together now and I'm not so totally convinced that my humanity is gone."

"It isn't," Tenele whispered, reaching out for his hand. She touched the sun-warmed skin and curled her fingers around it. "You have a long time to fall in love now, Talon. Eternity to be exact. You might fall in love a hundred times."

"Vlad will never love anyone else after you and Atul leave the mortal world," Talon reminded her. "That is what true love is."

"I suppose," Tenele sighed. "But, if Vlad is to live forever I would want him to love someone after I am gone. Maybe not immediately, but eventually. I don't want him to walk the world alone forever. Atul will live much longer than me, so he won't be abandoned completely and right away, but eventually. I would want him to know love again and to be happy. If I am to look down on him from whatever glorious realm that souls linger in after death I would want to see him smile, even if it is at another woman... or man."

Talon smirked. "Poetic."

"Love is very poetic, so is death, both of them can bring many tears," Tenele laughed. "Do not lose hope in yourself, my brother. There is much hope left for you."

"Mommy," Tenara announced, running over. She dumped her pouch of goodies onto her mother's lap. Frogs went skipping everywhere. "That's Pete, and Petey, and Petey Pete, and Goose."

"Why is that one called Goose?" Tenele asked curiously, lifting the frog up.

"Out of Pete names," Tenara shrugged.

* * *

Atul finished his meeting by the setting of the sun and after a long day with little break, he felt himself in desperate need for time with his family. He wanted to play with his daughter, look upon his lovers, and enjoy the relaxation of their company.

[Soran Nightblade]

"How long do you really intend to guard me?" Sinead asked, leaning into her palm speculatively.

"I'm not guarding you. I'm just staying," the vampire replied.

Sinead opened her mouth to begin an order.... but she closed it again. She knew better. Ordering the dead king out of her presence in a mood like this would offend him terribly, so she didn't remind the vampire of his position relative to hers, at least this time. She needed to make him return to his business without hurting him, or at least that was her preference, after the things she'd seen in his memory.

"I want you to spend time with your family. I'm not saying you can't work too," she pre-empted at the look in his eyes. "You seem like you've built up some confidence last night. But I suspect you still have things left to overcome."

Vlad curled up his lips in distaste. "Who asked you for advice about that?" he demanded.

"For instance, trust. I don't suppose you let anyone else have a turn with the reins last night?"

The vampire's expression went sharp with anger. "Queeny, watch it-"

"I'll watch what I please, and right now I'm watching a control freak. Do you think you can have a relationship with two other people where only you ever get to have dominance?"

"You're mistaken, and I also really don't want to discuss this with you," Vlad cringed.

"For instance, if you were intimate last night, I don't imagine you let Atul-"

"For Gods' sake, I'm not listening to this," Vlad muttered, pushing off the wall and going for the door.

Sinead grinned and stood up, calmly stretching her muscles as she followed to see him out.

"You're standing," Vlad noted flatly.

"Outmuscling you gives me a rush," she said with the faintest of grins, holding the door for him.

Noticing too late that he'd been tricked, the Vlad surrendered his watch over the Queen of Ighten and left the room.